Starting this Thursday, the NFL Network will get weekly games on Thursday nights.  Last year, the Chiefs were the beneficiaries of the new NFL Network, playing beating the Denver Broncos weeks before the death of Lamar Hunt. However, the majority of the country was unable to see that game because the big cable companies (mainly Time Warner and Comcast which account for 70% of the viewers) couldn't strike a deal with the NFL Network to air the game.  The only loser here is the consumer.  I thought competition was good for the consumer?

Anyway, there are two different sides to this story.  Stealing a bit from MMQB this is what Jerry Jones had to say:

"We offer the cable company several minutes of advertising inventory on NFL Network. Every hour of every day they receive commercial time where they sell the ads and keep all the revenue. And in an effort to be better partners, we even set aside extra commercial inventory during our highly rated NFL games. Each cable operator gets 18 30-second ads during these games and they keep all the revenue from those too. Why do they have to charge the fans?

"Ask the fans this: Would you trade in three shopping channels, the Versus Network and Turner Classic Movies for the opportunity to have one channel in this country dedicated to football year-round? We offer a tremendous array of football-related content, the most popular programming in the country, and we do it for the cost to the cable operator of less than one movie ticket a year per subscriber. Would you rather go see one movie in the theater for two hours or have 24/7 year-round access to football?"

The only problem I see with this is that the Network would basically turn into ESPNews.  A lot of re-runs.  I would want the channel during draft month and the next 8 Thursdays.  But, the value the cable companies are putting on the Network is more than that of CNN, FoxNews, and other big news sites.  You can't tell me, even as popular as the NFL is, that more people would be watching the NFL Network than CNN.  

If I had to guess, this won't be solved this season.  Eventually, something's gotta give.  The FCC will probably get involved and force a deal between the two.  But for now, those of us without the Dish, will have to go to sports bars to catch the battle for NFC supremacy (Green Bay vs. Dallas) and the Patriots quest for perfection (week 17 game against NY Giants).  Unfortunately, this tiff between the two corporations is hurting the consumer.

Any Dish subscribers out there who wish to tell us how wonderful (or terrible) the NFL Network is?

And check out these pictures of locker room rapper, #93 Tank Tyler. If you recall, Tank has been rapping for a long time and even has his own album out. I hope he didn't spend too much on that "TT" chain...

You can see all of Tank's shots here.

More football! Well I think "football" is more appropriate, as in Arena League Football. As I'm listening to the radio this morning, I hear that the Kansas City Brigade is having mega star Uncle Rico from Napoleon Dynamite appear at this Friday's game against the Colorado Crush. Now, hold on just a second. Back it up and click on that Brigade link. That could be the worst looking splash page advertisement I've seen for a "professional" sports team.

I've never been to an Arena League game and only barely seen one on television. Since I'm going crazy with Trent Green rumors, LJ rumors and who in the hell we're going to draft, lets take a break for a few minutes and give us your thoughts on the Kansas City Brigade or any Arena team. I thought I knew a girl who was a cheerleader for the Brigade but a quick look at their squad photo shows she isn't one. The cheerleaders may be the best thing about this whole league at the moment.

Ever been to a game? Love the AFL? Hate it? I'd be curious to know everyone's thoughts.

Despite this being a football blog, I do occasionally take time to enjoy other sports. Today is one of those days. The Kansas City Royals will face the Boston Red Sox this afternoon at the Royals home opener. I will be there, along with many readers of this blog and Royals Review. They have all of the info over there and a very lively group of readers.

I forgot to ask if anyone else saw Slugerrrrr (or how ever many R's he has in his name) and KC Wolf outside the Fox 4 television station this morning. The newspaper people are out in force today too. My car was right next to a guy on a median on Southwest Trafficway and I overheard him say that this may be the last opening day that we get to put the Royals on the front page of the Kansas City Star. A little depressing, don't you think?

I've got Florida, Texas A&M, UCLA and UNC in the Final Four.

Here are my upset picks:

• 
  
• #12 Old Dominion over #5 Butler
• #11 Winthrop over #6 Notre Dame
• #11 GWU over #6 Vandy

For the local flavor, I've got Kansas losing to the Salukis in the Sweet Sixteen. Hey, its KU. Inevitably, when they lose in the tournament, KU fans start blathering about how great their freshman are. When the season starts, they blather about how they are going to win it all. And the cycle beings all over again.

If you've got nowhere else to go, we'll be here all day talking Chiefs and the NCAA tournament.

**NOTE** Since its a slow news day, those of you visiting the site who do not have a FREE account set up yet, get on the ball and create one. You have to fill out about five lines and within a minute, you'll have yourself an account you post diaries and comments with. Do it!

**NOTE** Rakes of Mallow is our official hub for the morning/afternoon games. CW over there will be updating scores and news from around the SB Nation as quickly as he can. Card Chronicle will take over the duties for the night games.

**UPDATE** The Chiefs resign unrestricted free agent DT Ron Edwards. We still need to overhaul much of our defensive line though.

**NOTE** Just in time for the tourney, SB Nation adds The 12th Manchild, covering all things on Texas A&M.

So I'm addicted to searching Google News and the Google Blog search for "Kansas City Chiefs". While doing this today, I noticed a new feature of Google News called "Archives". I simply clicked that link and Google brought me this September 24, 1987, article. The piece of text it provides gives us a glimpse into the antics of the "real" NFL players v. the scabs during the 1987 NFL strike.

[editor's note, by Chris] This is a previous post, reposted here for your reading pleasure. --Chris

January 11, 2004.

Kansas City Chiefs v. Indianapolis Colts

Final Score - 38-31 in favor of the Colts.

While finishing up school in St. Louis, the belly of the beast for Chiefs fans, I woke up that Sunday morning with the intention of celebrating a Chiefs playoff win that night.  No such luck.

Like any good KC Chiefs fan, we rounded up a football, a few beers and grilled hamburgers and hot dogs.  Being in midtown Baghdad St. Louis, we had very few options to hold a true KC tailgate. We had to improvise.  

Despite not being near any civilization whatsoever, some friends and I decided to hold the first ever Kansas City Chiefs tailgate in my apartment parking lot.  We turned up the radio, fired up the grill and started throwing the football around.  The doors on the car were open and girls were trying to play catch.  So far, so good.  We had managed, at least for the pregame, to recreate a bit of Kansas City magic in the concrete jungle of STL.  

Noon.  Gametime.  Manning drives the Colts down the field, nearly mistake free, on the Colts first drive to set up a TD.  Over the course of the next three hours, it was an emotional rollercoaster and anyone who was there can tell you, at some point, they thought about shedding a tear.  

While grabbing some fresh air and watching the game from my apartment building's lounge, the Colts had just scored to make it 31 to 17, in favor of the Foreheads.  As my friends and I sat there watching the players line up for the ensuing kickoff, we all agreed that if we EVER needed a TD return from Dante Hall, it was now.  

The kick was off and Dante grabbed it.  10 yard line. 20 yard line. Jukes a few guys and just sprints the length of the field to score the TD and notch the score at 31 to 24.  Euphoria overwhelmed us all as we chanted "Dante!" throughout the building to the dismay of basically anyone who heard us.

As time wound down in the game and our playoff loss and dream season slowly came to a grinding halt, we ended the season with about a ten-minute Tomahawk Chop.  

Devastated, we did what any Chiefs fans in St. Louis would do.  We picked up a case of beer and proceeded to one of the local Jesuit high schools and broke into the football field.  Case of beer in tow, we ran routes, kicked field goals and tried to extend that magical 2003 season for just a few more hours.  

As the light dimmed a bit, we all knew it was over.  The joy over going 9-0 to begin the season, Dante Hall's record setting kick returns, Priest Holmes' monstrous season and any hope for peace in our time were all faded memories now.

I have never felt excitement about the Chiefs like I did in 2003.  Yes, the defense was weak. But I, like many people, had a feeling of destiny as the team kept extending their undefeated streak. Alas, it was not meant to be.  

While checking out the Mighty MJD this morning, I found this unrelated-to-football gem. Since we don't have a Nascar/Racing blog on SB Nation at the moment, I figured I would pass it along to you. This pissed off driver jumps through another driver's windshield. 

Via MySA.com.

Check out the top players in Madden '07.  Champ "I can almost run the length of the field" Bailey is a 99.  I'm guessing this was a pity rating. Who is named Champ anyway? Kind of like having to say you're cool. If you have to say it, its not true.